| 摘要: | 早期有關近世中國或台灣的研究，在國家與社會的互動關係方面，研究者注意到國家政權在某些時機或特殊場合，並無法直接深入地方社會；國家權力又須仰賴地方上的士紳、耆老等菁英分子的協助，才得以深入地方社會。因此，研究者逐漸開始正視社會菁英在地方社會與國家之間所扮演的角色，並由此展開士紳等社會菁英分子的研究。透過既有的相關研究典範，我們可以看見，社會菁英確實擁有一些特殊的身分、地位、財富、道德、教育、識字能力與影響力。社會菁英在權力的建構上，並非只有單向來源，也不只有來自於國家權力的授與，他們可以是國家權力的代理人、地方社會的領導者，可以中介於國家與地方社會之間。同時，菁英分子也極可能是地方社會權力向上發展的起點，而不僅僅是國家權力向下發展的末端。由此，在國家權力與地方社會互動的研究中，近代社會菁英成為一項重要的議題。然而，在地方社會裡，除了士紳之外，究竟還有哪些人稱得上是社會菁英？這些菁英究竟有何不同或特殊之處？社會菁英究竟透過那些管道、用什麼方式來取得、建構或發揮其影響力？他們又是參加了那些地方或官方事務，而能夠介入或影響地方社會與國家政權之間的互動？研究者又建立了哪些重要的研究典範來解決這些問題？本文的目的，即是鎖定過去與此議題相關的經典研究成果，依序討論社會菁英的定義、國家政權與地方社會互動的管道與方式、菁英如何在國家與社會的互動中建構其權力網絡；最後，透過一個案例，提出未來可再深入探究的方向。
Studies of the interactions between the state and local society have emphasized that state power could not infiltrate local society smoothly in some situations in the late imperial and Republican China and Taiwan. State power relied on assistance from local gentry and elites. Therefore, some researchers started gradually to explore the roles of social elites, including gentry, elders, and other elites. Significance works discussed the definition of social elites, highlighting how social elites possessed particular status, position, wealth, morality, education, literacy, and influence. And such elites played a critical role mediating between the state and local society. They became agents of official power, grassroots leaders of local society, and intermediaries between the state and local society. Moreover, some research showed, social elites could not only be viewed in terms of the state power trying to infiltrate local society, but also as power forming from the bottom up. In the meantime, some research used or established useful methodologies to explain the formation and functions of elites, such as the concepts of the public sphere, the third realm, the cultural nexus of power, and symbolic capital. For these reasons, social elites have recently become an important topic in research on the relationship between state and local society. However, what kinds of persons should be considered social elites? How could they become elites? What kinds of roles could they play between the state and local society? How could they interfere in official and local public affairs? Furthermore, how could they construct or exercise their influence in those affairs? Above all, what kinds of research paradigms have scholars used to study these questions? This article critically focuses on some paradigmatic studies that discuss the relationship between state power and local society, especially the roles of social elites, beginning with efforts to define social elites. Second, its attempts to analyze those approaches and concepts cited above, and discuss their figuration, usage, and limitations. Finally, through a case study of Taiwan, this paper addresses some new approaches for future research directions. |
